


Hatred

by Knill



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:02:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29273652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knill/pseuds/Knill
Summary: What if Lloyd tried to put on the Oni mask of hatred? (stand alone..?)
Relationships: lloyd garmadon/nya (friendship)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 31





	Hatred

**Author's Note:**

> I've had this idea for a while now and finally did something with it :)  
> I might continue this, but as it is now, it can exist as a stand alone in between where in the show (s9) they hand Lloyd the mask and when it cuts back to Harumi, the gang guessing it is a trap.

“Wear it only at your own peril.” Mistaké added when Lloyd frowned at the mask Skylor handed him. The mask of hatred. 

“What do you want to do?” the master of Amber asked.

Lloyd felt the mask call to him. It wasn’t a voice per say, more like… temptation. The… thing resonated with power. Power that he lacked at the moment. 

Feeling the stares of his friends, he closed his eyes. It gave him a small privacy for thinking about it.

Alright. The question was clear: should he take it? Should he use something that destroyed the peace of his world and use it for liberating it? Use evil for good? It certainly held a taste of irony. 

Irony… he opened his eyes again and brought the mask closer to his face.

The mask of hatred. Hate was what led Harumi to where she was now. Taking the mask would mean setting on the same path, wouldn’t it? 

He wavered. Wouldn’t it? Would it make him an evil person to use hate for saving the world? 

His hands shook. No. He would save Ninjago. Save the people, save the Resistance, avenge his friends… whether they were gone, alive or not, Harumi let them believe they were gone, she thought they were crushed by the Colossus, she took them away from him. His family. 

The mask came closer. He won’t be defeated by the Sons of Garmadon just because he was afraid to use everything on his disposal. He won’t let his brothers or master Wu come back and find them all imprisoned or dead. 

He felt the mask vibrate, corresponding with his own resolve. Lloyd flicked his eyes to Mistaké who was watching him with a curious frown, waiting for Lloyd’s decision.  
He would make Harumi pay. The urge to put the mask on grew stronger with his own hate.  
But he didn’t. “It might be a trap,” he said looking at Mistaké, hoping she’d assured him that’s ridiculous. The Oni said nothing. “I feel like Harumi wouldn’t let herself be taken if she didn’t want to.” 

“You give her too much credit, Lloyd.” Dareth said resolutely. 

“Or you not enough.” the green ninja argued. 

“It wasn’t easy to capture her,” Mistaké finally said deep in thought. “But they would want it to look convincing...”  
“Come on,” Dareth complained. “What could they do with the mask anyway? It’s already evil!” 

“That might be the point,” Skylor thought. “Maybe they’re hoping it could corrupt Lloyd.”  
“Could it happen, Mistaké?” Lloyd asked worriedly. 

The Oni shrugged. “As I said, it’s dark magic and it’s always dangerous to mess around with that…” The group watched Mistaké as she took the mask from Lloyd and started to look it over from all sides. “But as far as I can see, it’s a regular Oni mask. I wouldn’t recommend it to a human, but… you’re not really a human, aren’t you, young master?” 

Lloyd blinked at that. Right, he was part Oni. So maybe there was even a lesser chance of the mask affecting him in a negative way than if a human wore it. 

“Give me the mask.” Lloyd said. Mistaké eyed the ninja suspiciously, but gave him the old relic. He took a deep breath and put the mask on. 

He instantly felt wrong. 

The material stuck to his face painfully and he felt his body getting harder… stronger. 

Strange burning sensations flew through his veins. He felt his skin rip and saw it getting pale and the cracks bleed purple fluid. 

And then he was back on his feet. He breathed heavily, holding the mask, briefly thinking about ripping it away for the horrible feeling of the evil flowing through his veins… he gripped the edges. That sounded familiar. 

That’s what his father used to say. This was wrong. 

He growled and tightened his grip as he doubled over. He desperately wanted to tear the mask off, he knew this feeling was wrong, this was all wrong. “Get it off!” he yelled and clawed at the mask as the others tried to help. They pulled at the mask, grunting in effort, but still not being able to do anything. “Hold on, Lloyd!” Dareth hollered and ran inside the building calling out Nya’s name. 

Lloyd felt tears sliding down his cheeks. It wasn’t that he was in pain or any sort of that thing, he just felt this incredible malice, his thoughts being clouded by spiteful thoughts, not only for Harumi and the SOG or Garmadon, but his friends too. And then there was the part of him that felt this incredible fear. 

And then Lloyd was laughing, while still wailing in anguish. “Lloyd?” Skylor asked weakly, looking at Mistaké, who answered her with her wide eyes. 

He stops and stares at Skylor and Mistaké. “This is all your fault!” he yells at them and pushes them back. Mistaké whips to the side just in time to avoid the push, while Skylor, not being fast enough, falls hard on her back with a whimper at the sudden collision with the pavement. “You did this!” he continued to yell and tried once again to remove the mask. This was all their fault! Why didn’t they insist he shouldn’t use the mask? 

If the ninja were here they would, they wouldn’t tempt him with dark magic… the others… wouldn’t… they weren’t here, were they? They just had to get themselves transported to a different realm and leave them all alone against his father… he growled furiously. Mistaké did that, she gave them the traveler’s tea. 

He snapped his eyes to her and some nasty ideas flew through his head. He shook it. “No.” he told himself. Not right… it was not right… it wasn’t right he had to fight his- Garmadon all alone, the others should’ve helped him, they should have gone with him the first time he thought about trying to help his father, if they did, he wouldn’t have lost his powers and no one would have been hurt… 

He felt all the hurt from those thoughts fill him up and felt them vividly turning into pure hatred. The mask glowed and he felt himself getting stronger. 

“Lloyd!” Nya. He turned his gaze to the water ninja. 

Hate. She never quits, does she? She said that, but Lloyd does and he hates Nya for her determination, for her ability to keep going. He hates that she would be able to go on if they were all gone, he hates that he wouldn’t, that he needs his family… he hates that he needs Nya… Nya… “Nya..?” he rasps and reaches out with a shaking hand. 

And she’s suddenly kneeling next to him, holding him tightly. “It’s okay, Lloyd,” he hears her say and feels the hatred leaving. “I’m here now.” And Lloyd feels his eyes water again. She’s here. 

He pushed Nya away from him and got to his feet. 

He gave into a loud yell and finally tore the mask off before his knees buckled.

“Lloyd! Lloyd can you hear me? Say something!” Lloyd did hear Nya. He tried to get his rapid breathing under control. He rolled on his back and searched with his eyes for her. “Nya.” he said.

“Thank the FSM,” Skylor’s face appeared next to Nya’s. “Are you okay?” 

Lloyd considered the question and then slowly nodded. He tried to say sorry to them, but all he managed was a choked sob. 

“Oh, Lloyd.” Nya grabbed his shoulders and hugged him once again as Lloyd returned it with equal force. 

“I’m sorry- sorry…” he finally crooked out and opened his tear filled eyes to look apologetically at Skylor and Mistaké. 

“Don’t worry about it, Lloyd,” Skylor smiled at him. “You didn’t hurt me.” 

“He clearly could have, however.” Mistaké said and picked up the Oni mask from where Lloyd dropped it. She held the mask closer to her face.

“Mistaké, don’t!” Nya warned, still not letting go of her little brother.

“What? Oh, don’t worry,” she said as she sniffed loudly and covered her nose right after with a “Yuck! Vermilion ash.” she said and tossed the mask aside. 

“Vermilion what?” Skylor asked. 

“You mean the serpentine made of snakes?” Nya asked with a frown and let go of Lloyd who looked at Mistaké with dread in his eyes. “What?” 

“They are the descendants of the snake who bit a certain boy who set in motion the prophecy of our young friend here.” 

“The Great Devourer.” Lloyd said. 

“Though maybe not as strong as their mother’s, their venom still has the potential to manipulate a good heart.” Mistaké said matter-of-factly. 

“Oh, my father used to tell me a story of two brothers, sons of the First Spinjitzu Master,” Skylor said, with an inquisitive look in her eyes. “One of them turned evil because of a snake bite... What?” she frowned when her friends gave her slightly amused looks. 

“Sorry, Skylor,” Nya smiled. “Sometimes I forget this thing isn't common knowledge.”

“What is?” 

“That my dad is the brother who turned evil.” Lloyd said, slowly getting up on his feet, clinging to Nya, as his legs still felt like they could give in any minute. 

Skylor got a funny look on her face. “ Wait... “ She pointed her finger at Lloyd and her eyes got wider. “Does that mean that you’re… you’re the grandson of the First Spinjitzu Master!” 

“Yep.” Lloyd said, attempting a smile. 

“And Garmadon and that sensei of yours… oh FSM.” 

“It’s not a big deal, Skylor.” Lloyd said and Skylor just gaped at him. 

“Not a big deal? Lloyd! I can’t believe you’re… your grandfather created all of this!” she exclaimed, throwing her arms about. “Shouldn’t you be in charge of all Ninjago or something?” 

Lloyd finally held the sad smile. “Well my dad seems to think so.” he said pointing his finger in the direction of Borg’s tower. 

Skylor kept staring at him. “Why isn’t this a common knowledge?”

“Look, I know this is really cool news for you and all-” started Dareth who suddenly appeared next to them, nervously fidgeting with his medailon, but Skylor interrupted him. 

“You knew!” Skylor accused him. 

Dareth eyed Skylor, clearly offended. “Well of course I knew, I actually hung out with the ninja before it was cool-” 

“Dareth,” Lloyd interrupted the man again. “What is it?” 

“Uhh, if I’m being honest it’s just getting scary being with the princess alone.” 

“Come on then,” he bent down and picked up the mask. He gave it a distrustful look before he nodded at the others. “Let’s go talk with her and see what we can get out of her.” 

“You sure you’re up for this?” Nya asked, putting her hand comfortingly on his shoulder. 

Lloyd felt the smallest of tugs on the newly discovered aversion against Nya. The mask and the Vermilion… ash, brought out his darkest thoughts, the kind everyone has, but never acknowledges them, not until circumstances force a person to actually consider them. He briefly wondered if that’s what the venom did… does, to his father. He shuddered. If that’s what Garmadon is going through all the time, no wonder he is what he is. 

Lloyd looked at Nya and then at the mask. Lloyd resisted the pull of the darkness the mask provides, thanks to Nya. She was his light at the end of the tunnel, his light side anchor. 

There might be a way to use the mask still. Upon thinking that, he felt it calling to him once again. 

Lloyd quickly banished those thoughts and nodded at Nya. “Let’s go.”


End file.
